Intertextual Exchange in Carmilla, Dracula and the Historian Essay exam

Writers seldom duplicate their influential precursor(s) rather, they oftentimes work within a certain manikin established by other writers or generic conventions, but vary aspects of it in square ways. (Clayton, 155). Sheridan Le Fanus, Carmilla, Bram Stokers, Dracula and Elizabeth Kostovas, The Historian, clearly engage in this intertextual exchange, as evidenced by their use of narrative structure, striking character parallels and authors superior of language.Published in 1872, Le Fanu relates the story of Carmilla from a first soul point of view, through four distinct perspectives. The first narrator, an unnamed garter to Doctor Hesselius, prefaces the story as correspondence of scholarly interest amongst the Doctor and an in discernigent lady. Introducing the story in this manner lays the initial framework for believability. The doctors academic interest signifies scientific validity whereby, the adult females intelligence implies rationality. Subsequently, Le Fanu presen ts the second narrator, the aforementioned young woman, Laura, who provides the deal of the account to follow. Born in Styria, Laura is described as being of slope descent, but having never saw England (87). Residing with her father and two governesses, she is socially discriminate and motherless, with negligible paternal involvement. Laura epitomizes vampire literatures prototypical victim. Moreover, adumbrative her successors, Laura begins her strange tale with the words, I am now going to tell you something so strange that it will require all your faith in my veracity to believe my story. It is not only true, nevertheless, but truth of which I have been an eye-witness (91). Lauras appeal to believability, based upon personal testimony, augmen... ...es her unconventional treatment. Second, avant-garde Helsing is reminiscent of the occult expert, Doctor Hesselius. Both men engage in study of the supernatural as a hobby outside their medical exam profession. Finally, Van Hels ing is a resonance of Baron Vordenburg. Like the Baron, Van Helsing places considerable value in his books and papers for knowledge of the supernatural moreover, he is obligated for confirming Lucys undead state and educating the other men in how to adventure her and, it is Barons governing principles of the vampire which foreshadow Van Helsings characteristics of the enemy, Dracula (344).Works CitedClayton, Jay, and Eric Rothstein, eds. Influence and Intertextuality in Literary History. Madison U of Wisconsin P, 1991. Print.Williams, Ann, ed. Three Vampire Tales Complete Texts with Introduction. Boston Wadsworth, Cengage Learning, 2003. Print.